SummoningUpTheCourage
by Judge-Douglas-Mason
Summary: Brass and Sara Fluff...........for now, anyway
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Wish they were, but they're not. Que Sera Sera.

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Brass

WWWWWWWWWW

I never really thought of her as hot before, but as I try not to stare at her while she's bending over, picking up her kit…………..she's got a nice ass. I wonder what her reaction would be if I asked her out, just for lunch or something, just the two of us. Just she and I, no Catherine, no Grissom, just the two of us. Maybe I should make it more personal. Maybe I should cook for her. I can cook, I'm a damn good cook, if I do say so, myself, and I do. I can cook Italian, Tex/Mex, Vegetarian, and I make a mean ambrosia. I know she likes it because every time I bring it in for lunch, when I put it in the fridge its full and when I get to it its about half full. I caught her once, caught her in the act. Her mouth was full so all she could do was stare at me guiltily and offer a sort of smile. Its settled, then. I'll invite her over for breakfast, which is actually more of a dinner, but who cares, I'll have her alone and we can talk about things we wouldn't be able to discuss with the rest of the gang around.

We're close, don't get me wrong. We've spent the night at each other's places on more than one occasion and we've even shared a bed a couple of times, mainly because her couch is too small to sleep on. I swear, those nights it took all my strength to keep my hands to myself. I even resorted to sleeping above the flat sheet so there would be no skin on skin contact. She kept plying me to come under with her, but in the interest of not wanting to be thought of as some old pervert, I elected the flannel barrier which proved to be incredibly sexually frustrating because she exercised no restraint whatsoever. On more than one occasion I'd wake in the night, her arm around my waist, her head on my chest, her hand on my thigh, dangerously close to………..well, you get it.

Oh, shit, I've been nailed. From her bending position she looks at me and grins that grin that just says "you like what you see?" Stepping behind the door for a brief moment, I adjust myself, then enter the room. As I stand beside her, its harder than I would have thought to ask her out. God, she smells great, like a combination of cantaloupe and honeydew melon…………..mmmmmmmm, her shampoo….I love it. Ugh, I just want to reach out and hug her, my face buried in her lovely brown hair, her body pressed to mine……………on second thought that might not be such a good idea right now given my body's reaction to her slightly prone position. (naughty thoughts abound)

I remember the first time I spent the night over at her place, it was right after the "Hank Fiasco" as its been come to be called. I had just come home after a long shift and was tired as hell, but when the phone rang and I saw the caller ID, I picked up and heard her crying. Sometimes I wonder why it was me that she called, but hindsight being 20/20, I know why. She couldn't very well call Grissom, as much as he might care, he's incredibly emotionally detached from everyone around him. I guess he's afraid to let people get too close to him and risk getting burned in some way, shape or form. She couldn't call Greg, he's got the hots for her. Nick would have been an acceptable choice, but he's more like a brother than anything else. Warrick would have probably went out and beat the living snot out of Hank and Catherine, well she's got her own issues. That left me. Since she came to Vegas I kind of took it upon myself to look out for her. I saw and still see a lot of potential in her even though her life choices aren't always the best ones. It hit me in the heart to hear her sobbing over that loser and even though I was set for bed, I changed into some jeans and t-shirt and drove the ten minutes to her place. When she opened the door her face was streaked with tears and I offered her the box of tissues that I had brought with me. Taking them from me, she broke out into a full out bawl, motioning for me to come in and close the door behind me. We settled on the couch, my back to the arm rest and she between my legs, my arms wrapped around her protectively. She cried some more and then after about an hour or so I could hear her softly snoring, still clinging to my arms.

Slowly and carefully, I got up and carried her to her room and just as I set her in bed she opened her eyes and asked me to keep her company. As I kicked off my shoes she climbed under the covers and I lay on my back, under the covers. She rolled over and rested her head on my chest as I rubbed her back to soothe her. I remember how good it felt to hold her, just content to lay there with her, beside her, and simply hold her. We both fell asleep in a fairly short period of time and when I woke, her head still on my chest, her hand above my heart, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I think it was then that I realized that I had certain feelings for her, feelings that I, as a colleague, probably shouldn't have toward another colleague.

When she woke it was midday, and as we had the next couple of days off and I was in no real hurry to get back home. I have no pets, no plants, nothing that required my immediate attention. So, even though we were both awake, we stay in bed for quite some time and when we finally managed to climb from the comfort of the flannel sheets it was nearly dark out. We had a quiet night and after supper I asked her if she wanted me to stay, for comfort purposes and she said that she did. I ran back home for a change of clothes and shower and returned about an hour later with an overnight bag that she stashed in her bedroom closet.

When we finally did manage to actually talk, she went on and on about how he was cheating on her and how she was so blind to it. She said she was stupid and that she should have known, being the sort of detective that she was. I told her of my own experiences with cheating partners and how I was and probably would be for quite some time, be single by choice. I've had opportunities to date, but they were mostly shallow women that thought of little else than themselves. I look at looks last, my primary attraction being to one's mind than their body or physical attributes. Looks will get you only so far in life. Without a brain or personality you won't get very far.

That brings me to my current predicament. Her kit on the table in front of her, I take a cautious step towards her and she doesn't move. I take another step and this time I place one hand on the edge of the table and the other on her back, rubbing lightly. She gives a little moan and lets her head hang down as I massage the knots from her left shoulder. This is very encouraging. I'ma go for it. Turning to her, I take a breath and smile.

"You wanna go out some time? You know, just the two of us? Dinner and maybe a movie or something?"

She turns slowly to face me and I'm floored.

"I thought we were already going out." She says, placing a kiss on my cheek

Blush!


	2. Chapter 2

Sara

Wwwwwwwwwwww

I know I've had trouble in the lovin' department. I make no secret of it. I've had a long list of failures, not the least of which include Skank, that doctor from Desert Palm, and not to mention the ever distant Gil Grissom, on whom I've given up. I can honestly say that the only positive male influence in my life right now is Jim. He's always been there for me, even when I'm all weepy over some poor loser. He never tells me "I told you so" or anything like that. I know I don't make the best decisions in life, most of the time I screw up royally, but for some reason he's always there to catch me when I fall. Ever since I moved here to Vegas he's been there for me. Sometimes I think he's charged himself with seeing to the betterment of my welfare, emotionally and otherwise.

As I stand here in the lab going through my kit, fishing out bindles and other evidence from this most recent scene, I can feel his eyes on me. Though I'm not looking, I know he's there. Have you ever got that feeling that you're being watched and when you turn around all you can do is smile at who's watching you. That's how I feel about Jim. I know he likes me. I can feel it in every touch, every whisper and every look he gives me. In his eyes I see something that was lacking in all the other men in my life; respect and dare I say adoration. I might be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time, but this time I don't think I am.

I remember when I first met Jim, it was right after his demotion and he was, to tell the truth, a little bitter. But like the plump, sexy man that he is, he bounced back and came to accept his position. He was sitting in his office, pouring over case files and It was my week. Grissom sent me to the precinct to deliver something to him and his office door being open, I couldn't tell who he was. I knocked on the jamb and he lifted his head up. I had never seen more beautiful blue eyes in my life and his smile…………..well, to this day, all he has to do is flash a smile and I immediately turn to goo inside. There's just something about his teeth and the way his cheeks plump up that just drives me wild. I'll admit that from first sight he has occupied my thoughts in some way or another. Iknow he's older than I am, he's got at least twenty years or so on me, but there's something to be said for older men. Usually they're more mature and settled into their ways.

Standing in his doorway I asked if he could direct me to Jim Brass's office and with a smile, he got up and motioned for me to follow him. We walked through the halls to the break room where he got some coffee for himself and offered me some, which I took. From there we walked back to his office and as he sat down at his desk, he moved the stack of files from in front of his desk name plate. Feeling like a fool of the highest degree, I just blushed and sat down, files in my lap, sipping at my coffee. His elbows on his desk and his fingers laced, he smiled and asked how he could help me. I handed him the files and got up, thanking him for the coffee and left the room, my heart racing from the smile he shot me as I left.

When I returned to the lab he was on my mind the rest of the day. Who was he? I knew who he was in name, but what I wanted to know who he was inside. Was he the horrible little troll that I'd heard him referred to as? From what I had just seen, the troll comment was far from the truth, quite the contrary. He seemed to be a pleasant man with an amazing smile and a nice body for someone his age. I found the first CSI I could find and made my enquiries. Luckily it was Greg that I found and quickly discovered that he was the king of interoffice gossip. He filled me in on Jim's failed marriage, his demotion and other stuff like his likes and dislikes such as food, off hour activities and other things. It was the following day that I made one of Jim's favourite dishes; tomato salad.

The following evening, before shift, I went to the precinct and found him in his office tapping away at his lap top. Standing out of view, I knocked on the jamb of his door and held out my hand, tomato salad in a clear Tupperware container. His response made me laugh, as he said "Ahh, offerings of food. And to whom do I owe my thanks?" I popped out and there it was again; that smile. I came in and set it on his desk and he opened it up, taking a long sniff. From my pocket I produced a plastic fork and handed it to him and watched as he dug in, listing the ingredients as he carefully chewed.

"Mmmm, olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic and feta cheese. How'd you know?" he asked

"A little birdie told me."

"Well, remind me to thank the birdie." He said sweetly

After a moment he stopped eating. "Where are my manners?" he asked, sliding the dish my way. I pulled another fork from my pocket and took a bite, watching as he was seemingly experiencing culinary bliss. He stopped after a few bites and replaced the lid, getting up and heading to the break room and the small fridge. Before putting it in he wrote a note that read "Jim's salad. You touch, you die!", and taped it to the lid. I laughed as I saw the look on his face and he gave his explanation, stating that food thievery was rampant at the precinct, hence the warning.

From then on we got closer and closer as the months and years passed by. We began spending time together away from work. We'd go to his place or mine and sometimes we just went out and people watched along the strip. I remember one occasion with ultimate clarity, it was the moment that I first realized that I had certain feelings for him. We were on the midway and we found one of those games where you shoot the stream of water into the clown's mouth and when the balloon fills and pops you win a prize. Granted, Jim had the carnie at a disadvantage, Jim being the dead shot that he was. Handing me a large stuffed penguin, he smiled and said "I may be old and slow, but my gun has fast bullets." We both laughed and carried on back to the strip and walked back to the lab, where we had parked.

Pulling up in front of my place, I asked him if he wanted to come in for a night cap. When we got inside, I suggested he kick off his shoes and make himself comfortable. My apartment was small but he didn't seem to mind as he looked over my bookshelf reading the titles that I had. It wasn't until around 02:00hrs that I realized he was asleep, so I picked up the throw from the back of the couch and lay him on his side, covering him up. I stood there for a few moments and watched him sleeping so soundly and looking so angelic.

Which brings us to where we are today, me in the lab and he standing at the door. As I said, I know he's there; I can feel him. After a few moments he comes in and approaches me, standing in close proximity. My neck and back are stiff from all the crouching and hunkering while processing the scene. He rubs the stress and discomfort from my shoulders and as I turn to look at him, he's got a goofy grin on his face. I can tell there's something on his mind, but not wanting to pry, I let him get to it in his own time.

Turning to me, he takes a breath and smiles.

"You wanna go out some time? You know, just the two of us? Dinner and maybe a movie or something?"

I turn to him and smile. "I thought we were already going out." I say, placing a kiss on his cheek that makes him blush.


End file.
